Bathtub supporting bracket



y 15, 1952 c. J. ERICKSON ETAL 2,602,936

BATHTUB SUPPORTING BRACKET Filed Sept. 30, 1949 2 SHEET$SHEET l INV NTORS. Q46 407 Ex 6M5! mm wfuwjw u y 1952 c. J. ERICKSON ETAL 2,602,936

BATHTUB SUPPORTING BRACKET Filed Sept. 50, 1949 2 SHEETSJSHEET 2 I 1 INVENTOR.

Patented July 15, 1952 BATHTUB SUPPORTING BRACKET Carl J. Erickson and Carl H. Johnson, Chicago, 111.; said Johnson assignor to said Erickson Application September 30, 1949, Serial No. 118,826

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a bracket of the type disclosed in our prior Patent #1,938,818 issued December 12, 1933, for supporting bathtubs and the like on wall studs.

The improvements embodied in this invention have for one of their objects the provision of means on the bracket whereby the bracket will retain its proper relative position with respect to the supporting stud while being permanently secured thereto.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a bracket having its tub-engaging portion shaped so as to afford greater support for the tub.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a bracket which is simple in construction, effective in operation, and inexpensive to produce.

Further and additional objects will appear from the description, accompanying drawings and appended claims.

In accordance with one embodiment of this invention a bracket is provided comprising an elongated, substantially flat, stud engaging, base portion having the lower part thereof formed into a pair of ofiset, parallel flanges. The upper edges of the flanges are adapted to serve as ledges for the rim of the bathtub supported thereby. Formed in the upper part of the base portion is a stud-piercing element having the upper edge thereof at substantially a right angle to the base portion and the lower edge thereof sloping up- Wardly from the base portion.

For a more complete understanding of this invention reference should be made to the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of one form of bracket. 1

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the bracket shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. '3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bracket taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the upper end portion of the bracket shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational View of the bracket shown in Fig. 1 operatively mounted on a wall stud and having the rim of the bathtub engaging the flange portion of the bracket.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of bracket.

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the bracket shown in Fig. '7.

2 Fig. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of another modified form of bracket shown operatively mounted on a wall stud. I V

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bracket shown in Fig. 9 but with the tub-supporting flange thereof bent into angular relation with respect to the base portion of the bracket.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of the struck-out closed in Fig. 7. n

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a modified form of the struck-out finger disclosed in Fig. 1. r a v Referring now to the drawings, and more par: ticularly to Figs. 1 through 6, a bracket 2|] is shown for supporting bathtubs and the'like on adjacent wall studs 22. The bracket is preferably constructed of sheet metal and comprises an elongated, substantially fiat plate or base portion 2| which is adapted to engage one surface of the stud 22 and to be secured thereto by nails or screws 23 which extend through openings 24 provided in said base portion. Formed at the lower part of the base portion 2| is a pair of parallel flanges 25 and 26 which extend outwardly at right angles to the face of the stud 22 and base portion 2|"and are adapted to engage the underside of the rim' 2'! of the bathtub, as shown in Fig. 6. The outer edge of each flange is deformed so as to provide a pair of vertically spaced lugs 28 and 30. The upper or rim-engaging edges 3| and 32 of lugs 28 and 30, respectively, areinclined downwardly toward the base portion 2 and thereby more positively engage the rim 21.

When the finished wall is to be constructed of tile, the rim 2! is supported by the lower lug 30 and the edge of the rim abuts a web 33 formed in the edge of the flange and is held in spaced relationship with respect to the base portion of the bracketas shown in Fig. 6 in order to accommodate the tile. When the wall is to be covered with only a thin coat of plaster the rim 21 is positioned" on the upper lug 28 whereby the edge of the rim abuts the base portion 2| of the bracket asseen in dotted lines in Fig. 6. 3

There is provided in the upper part of base portion 2| a struck-out finger Which is substantially triangular in shape. The upper edge 35 of the finger 34 is substantially horizontal or at a right angle with respect to the base portion, and the underside or edge 36 of the finger inclines upwardly from the base portion 2| as shown in Fig. 5. The finger 34 is pointed and adapted to be embedded in the stud 22 and temporarily hold the bracket in a predetermined location on the fingers disstud while it is being permanently fastened thereto by means of nails or screws 24. Thus finger 34 prevents an sagging or slipping of the bracket while it is being fastened to the stud. The finger 34 is substantially L-shaped in cross section. The cross leg 31 of finger 34 is at a right angle to the vertical leg 39 thereof, and likewise inclines upwardly from the base portion 2|, the upwardly inclined lower edge 36 of the finger causes a component force to be exerted upwardly on the finger when it is being driven into the stud, causing it to be urged upwardly into snug engagement with the bathtub rim. The cross leg 31 increases this upward component force and insures against sag or downward slip of ;the bracket in relation to the bathtub rim.

The modified form of bracket 38 shown in Fig. 7, is like bracket 26 in construction except that two struck-out fingers 40 and 4| are provided instead of the single finger 34. The two fingers 40 and 4| enable the bracket 38 more readily to assume its correct position on the stud.

In Fig. 9 a modified form of bracket 42 is shown wherein the base portion 43 is adapted to be secured'to the side surface of the stud, and has a single, tub-supporting flange 45 formed in the lower-partthereof. The flange 45 is in the same plane as thebase portion and is adapted to extend beyond the front surface 46 of the stud. The outer edge of flange 45 is deformed in a manner similar to flanges 25 and 26 hereinbefore described. a

As shown in Fig. 10, bracket 42 may be adapted for use in a manner similar to brackets 20 and 38, thatqis to say, thebase portion 43 is fastened to the front side or surface 46 ofthe stud adjacent the? tub, and the flange 45 is bent at a right angle with respect to the base portion 43 and extends outwardly therefrom. In this instance, only a single tub-supporting flange is provided which reduces; theload-carrying capacity of the bracket; however, the cost of manufacture i likewise reduced. r y

. Modified forms of fingers 46 and 41 are shown in Figs. 11 and 12, which are substantially triangular in shape and have the upper edges 48 and 50 thereof substantially horizontal. The cross leg 31 of fingers 34, 40 and 4| has been eliminated.

While several embodiments of this invention are shown above, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not'to be limited thereto, sincemany modifications may be made, and it is contemplated, therefore, by the appended claims to cover any-such modifications as-fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention. I We claim:

1. A device for use in supporting a bathtub on a vertical surface comprising a substantially flat, surface-engaging base portion, a, surface-piercing element. extending transversely from said base portion, and a flange formed at one end of said base portion and having th upper edge thereof adapted to support the underside of the rim of said tub; said surface-piercing element having the lower edge'portion thereof of greater area than the upper edge portion thereof, said edge portions being angularly disposed with respect to one another.

2. A device for use in supporting a bathtub on a vertical wall, comprising an elongated, substantially flat, base portion mountable on said wall, a tapered, wall-piercing finger extending transversely from said base portion, and a flange, and extending outwardly from said base portion and having the upper edge thereof supporting the underside of the rim of said tub; said finger being substantially L-shaped in crosssection.

3. A device for use in supporting a bathtub on a wall, comprising an elongated, substantially fiat, base. portion mountable on said wall, a triangular-shaped, wall-piercing finger extending transversely from said base portion, and a ledge extending outwardly from said base portion and adapted to support the underside of the rim of said tub; said finger having the upper edge thereof substantially horizontal and the lower edge thereof sloping upwardly from said base portion.

4. A device for use in supporting a bathtub on a flat wall, comprising a wall-engaging base portion, a tub-engaging ledge formed on said base portion, and a wall-piercing element provided on said base portion and extending transversely therefrom; said element having the lower edge portion thereof extending angularly upwardly from said base portion and having a greater surface area than the upper edge portion thereof, said upper edge portion being disposed in a substantially horizontal plane.

5,. A device for use in supporting a bathtub on a vertical wall, comprising a wall-engaging base portion, a bathtub-supporting member extending transversely from said base portion, and a wallpiercing element extending transversely from said base portion and being angularly disposed with respect to said bathtub-supporting member; said element having a surface thereof inclined with respect to said base portion whereby, upon said element piercing said wall in a direction substantially perpendicular with respect to the plane of said wall, said device will move relative to said wall in substantially the same direction as the inclination of said inclined surface from said base portion and effect a positive engagement between ls)aid bathtub and said bathtub-supporting mem- CARL J. ERICKSON. CARL H. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 826,125 Steinmetz July 17, 1906 1,087,580 Hamill Feb. 17, 1914 1,593,408 Honigbaum July 20, 1926 1,938,318 Erickson et al Dec. 12, 1933 1,962,784 Nelson June 12, 1934 1,987,740 Jameson Jan. 15, 1935 2,264,666 Hexdall Dec. 2, 1941 2,293,862 Sorenson Aug. 25, 1942 

